Removable footrest for wheel chairs



April 8, 1952 .1. c. MILLER 2,592,449

REMOVABLE FOOTREST FOR WHEEL CHAIRS Filed Nov. 20, 1950 2 SHEETSSHEET 1 INVENTOR. f m/r 6. Ma; 2,

April 1952 J. C. MILLER 2,592,449

REMOVABLE FOOTREST FOR WHEEL CHAIRS Filed NOV. 20, 1950 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 INVEN TOR. E/ c/r 6m M/LLEA,

AZM? m Patented Apr. 8, 1952 REMOVABLE FOOTREST FOR WHEEL CHAIRS Jack Carleton Miller, Los Angeles, Calif., assignor to Everest & Jennings, Inc., Los Angeles, Calif., a corporation of California Application November 20, 1950, Serial No. 196,639

Claims. 1 This invention relates to improvements in wheel chairs and particularly to the footrests therefor.

In the conventional wheel chair the frame of the chair provides upright forward legs, and

footrest structures are usually permanently mounted thereon or are rigid therewith so as to extend downwardly and forwardly to a position that will suitably support the feet of the invalid seated in the chair. This position assumed by the footrest structures is disadvantageous when the structures are either integral with the front legs of the chair frame or are permanently or rigidly mounted thereon in that the footrests interfere with the invalid approaching upright surfaces. There are many situations where the invalid, although enjoying the footrests under normal circumstances, finds that the forwardly projecting footrests interfere materially with his approaching tables, beds, and other structures in that they prevent the body of the chair from closely approaching them.

The forwardly projecting footrest structures also materially increase the overall length of the chair from front to rear and frequently this in-- crease in overall length interferes with storage of the chair or its transportation.

It is highly desirable to have the footrest structures so mounted on the frame of the chair that these structures may optionally be swung laterally to assume positions along the sides of the chair enabling the frame of the chair to be moved very close to an upright surface. In other words, the invalid may optionally dispense with the use of the footrests and allow his legs to be merely suspended from the seat of the chair in approaching upright structures. It is alsodesirable to have the footrest structures arranged so as to be optionally capable of swinging movement relative to the frame of the chair or releasably locked in their normal position and to have the releasing means so arranged that it may be operated by the invalid himself while seated in the chair.

It is further desirable to have the footrest structures removably mounted on the frame of the chair so that for storage or shipping purposes they may be completely detached from the frame of the chair thus decreasing its overall length and facilitating the storage or shipment of the chair in a relatively small space.

An object of the present invention is to. provide an improved wheel chair wherein the footrest structures are so mounted on the frame of the chair that they may optionally be releasably v locked in their normal position or released f0 lateral swinging movement from their projected positions or even detached from the frame of the chair entirely.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, which will be made manifest in the following detailed description and specifically pointed out in the appended claims, reference is had to the accompanying drawings for an illustrative em:- bodiment of the invention, wherein:

Figure 1 is a partial view in side elevation of the forward portion of a wheel chair illustrating a footrest structure embodying the present invention as having been mounted thereon;

Fig. 2 is a partial View taken substantially upon the line 2-2 upon Fig. 1 in the direction indicated;

Fig. 3 is a partial view taken substantially upon the line 3-3 upon Fig. 2 in the direction indicated;

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3 but illustrating the foot rest structure as being in the process of being swung laterally; and

Fig. 5 is a view taken substantially upon the line 5-5 upon Fig. 4 but illustrating the manner in which the footrest structure can be completely detached from the chair.

Referring to the accompanying drawings wherein similar reference characters designate similar parts throughout, the conventional wheel chair is usually made up of two opposed side frames which may or may not be capable of being collapsed towards each other. These side frames are usually made of metal tubing for purposes of strength and lightness. The side frames (provide upper forward legs and as the legs and foot-1 rest structures embodying the present invention are counterparts of each other, only one such forward upright leg ID has been illustrated herein for purposes of clarity. The footrest structures each comprise tubular brackets ll made up of sections of tubing the ends of which are concaved as at i2 and I3 so as to be complementary. to the cylindrical forward faces of'the upright legs Ill. The brackets H are usually split and may betightened as by an adjusting bolt 14 to grip upon an angular arm !5 on which a treadle or footrest I6 is hingedly or swingably mounted between limits.

In accordance with the present invention, gudgeons I1 and [8 are welded, brazed or otherwise secured to the outer sides of the legs 162 These gudgeons form upwardly open sockets adapted to receive the downwardly. directed pintles I9 and 20 which are welded, brazed or ';othera wise secured to the outer sides of the brackets I I. Preferably the upper pintle I9 is somewhat longer than the lower pintle '28 so that in applying the footrest structure to its leg It the upper pintle l9 may be caused to enter its gudgeon or socket 11 before the pintle 29 enters the lower socket or gudgeon l8. Thus with the entry of the pintle [9 into the upper gudgeon the lower pintle 20 can be easily guided into its gudgeon l8 and the entire footrest structure allowed to drop until downward movement is limited by the engagement of the shoulders 2| and 22 on the pintles with the top surfaces of the gudgeons H and I8.

Each leg has a knuckle 23 welded, brazed or otherwise secured to the inner side thereof and a similar knuckle 24 is welded, brazed or otherwise secured to the inner side of the bracket 1 I. These knuckles 23 and 24 are so arranged as to assume positions in registration or in alignment with each other when the planes of the brackets II are in direct forward alignment with their respective legs H). In this position a locking pin 25 is receivable in the aligned knuckles and serves to releasably lock the footrest structure in its forwardly projecting or normal position. The locking pin is preferably permanently attached to the bracket H as by a chain 26 to prevent its becoming lost.

It will be noted that the knuckle 24 on the bracket I l assumes a position beneath the knuckle 23 when the knuckles are aligned and in this position the knuckle 24 prevents the bracket and footrest from being bodily shifted upwardly with relation to the leg I!) although the pintles I9 and 20 are otherwise free to move in an upward direction in their respective gudgeons I? and I8. The mutual engagement of the knuckles 24 and 23 thus contributes to the rigid or solid connection between the footrest structure and its leg when the footrest structure is in its forward or normal position.

If the invalid seated in the wheel chair desires to approach an upright surface of an upright structure, it is merely necessary for him to withdraw the locking pin 25 on each leg Iii. When the locking pin is withdrawn from the aligned knuckles 23 and 24 the footrest structure is still supported on the leg H! by means of the pintles l9 and 20 in their respective g-udgeons or sockets. However, each footrest structure is then capable of swinging laterally or from a position shown in Fig. 3 through the position shown in Fig. 4 and may even be caused to assume a position wherein the plane of the bracket H is approximately parallel to the plane of the side frame of the wheelchair. In such position each footrest structure is disposed entirely behind the front leg l enabling the invalid to approach an upright surface as close as his legs will permit. In such laterally swung position the knuckle 24 has swung laterally from beneath the knuckle 23 and the entire footrest structure may be bodily lifted into the position shown in Fig. 5, thus completely detaching it from the frame of the wheel chair. When thus detached the overall length of the wheel chair is materially reduced, thus facilitating its storage or its transportation in a relatively small space. It will be appreciated that each footrest structure may be re-assembled with the wheel chair by merely dropping it or lowering it from the position shown in Fig. 5, thus causing the pintles l9 and 29 to re-enter their gudgeons I! and I8 and then on swinging each footrest structure forwardly the knuckle 25 may be re-aligned with the knuckle 23 and the locking pin again applied. Preferably the parts are so designed that when the locking pin is in locking position the rear edges of the tubing sections making up the bracket H are in direct abutment with the forward face of the leg I 0.

From the above described construction it will be appreciated that an improved wheel chair is provided wherein the footrest structures are detachably mounted on the frame of the wheel chair so that they can be readily removed at all times. The footrest structures are also swingably mounted on the front legs of the wheel chair frame and may optionally assume a forward or normal position or be swung laterally with respect thereto. When in the forward position they may be releasably locked in that position by the looking pins 25 and these pins are so arranged that they are accessible to the invalid While seated in the chair. When the locking pin is in applied position not only is the footrest structure locked thereby against swinging movement relative to the leg I0 but by reason of the fact that the knuckle 24 on the bracket H is beneath the knuckle 23 on the leg IE, the footrest structure is also effectively locked against removal of the wheel chair.

Various changes may be made in the details of the construction without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In combination with a wheel chair having upright forward legs, a footrest structure for each leg, pintles on the footrest structures, gudgeons on the legs in which the pintles are receivable, a knuckle on each leg and a knuckle on each footrest structure alignable therewith when each footrest structure is in a position extending forward- 1y from its leg, and a locking pin receivable in the aligned knuckles.

2. In combination with a wheel chair having upright forward legs, a footrest structure for each leg, pintles on the footrest structures, gudgeons on the legs in which the pintles are receivable, a knuckle on each leg and a knuckle on each foot rest structure alignable therewith when each footrest structure is in a position extending forwardly from its leg, and a locking pin receivable in the aligned knuckles, the knuckle on the footrest being arranged to assume a position beneath the knuckle on the leg a and for the purpose described.

3. In combination, a Wheel chair having upright forward legs, gudgeons on the legs, footrests having pintles receivable downwardly in the gudgeons enabling the footrests to be applied and removed from the legs and when in applied position to swing laterally with respect to the legs, and means for releasably locking the footrests against swinging movement and against removal from the legs comprising a knuckle on each leg, a knuckle on each footrest alignable therewith and locking pins receivable in the aligned knuckles. I

4. In combination, a wheel chair having upright forward legs, gudgeons on the legs, footrest structures having pintles receivable down wardly in the gudgeons enabling the footrest structures to be applied and removed from the legs and when in applied position to swing laterally with respect to the legs, and means for releasably locking the footrest structures against swinging movement and against removal from the legs comprising a knuckle on each leg, a knuckle on each footrest structure alignable therewith and locking pins receivable in the aligned knuckles, the knuckles on the footrest structures being adapted to assume 'positions beneath the knuckles on the legs as arid for the purpose described.

5. In combination, a wheel chair having up right forward legs, gudgeons on the legs, footrest structures; having pintles receivable downwardly in the gudgeons enabling the footrest structures to be applied and removed from the legs and when in applied position to swing laterally with respect to the le s, and means for releasably locking the footrest structures against swinging movement and against removal from the legs, the upper pintle on each footrest structure being longer 1:

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 502,871 Bennett Aug. 8, 1893 684,937 Johnson Oct. 22, 1901 713,628 Garrett Nov. 16, 1902 2,460,459 Kraska Feb. 1, 1949 

